St Andrews Excellence Scholarship 2027: Full Tuition

University of St Andrews International Excellence Scholarship 2027 in the UK: Full Tuition for International Undergraduates — Deadline 27 January 2027

If you are an international student dreaming of studying in Scotland, the University of St Andrews International Excellence Scholarship 2027 is one of the most generous undergraduate awards in the UK: it covers full tuition fees for the entire duration of your degree. Applications are open now, and the deadline is Wednesday 27 January 2027.

Key deadline: apply by Wednesday 27 January 2027. The scholarship application period opened on 17 August 2026 and closes on 27 January 2027, with outcomes announced in the week commencing 17 March 2027. One important timing point: you can only access the scholarship form two working days after you submit your course application to St Andrews, so do not leave your UCAS application to the last minute — the UCAS equal-consideration deadline is 13 January 2027, and you need your course application in first.

What the scholarship offers

According to the University of St Andrews' official scholarship page, the International Excellence Scholarship is the university's flagship merit award for overseas undergraduates:

• Value: Full tuition fees — one award, paid annually for the duration of your undergraduate programme
• Selection: Based on academic excellence; the selection committee looks for gifted students with outstanding academic achievement
• Student Ambassador role: The successful scholar is expected to serve as a Student Ambassador, representing the University at events and engaging in outreach activities

Be clear about what it does and does not cover: the award pays your tuition fees only. It is not a living-cost stipend, so you should budget separately for accommodation, food, travel, visa and health-related costs unless another source of funding covers them.

Who is eligible?

The scholarship is open to international students with overseas fee status who will be studying at St Andrews for an undergraduate degree starting in 2027. The key eligibility rules are:

• Fee status: You must be classed as an overseas student for fee purposes
• Entry point: Only students entering their first year of an undergraduate degree — this includes direct entry into year two, but not students transferring from another institution or with deferred entry
• Subjects: All undergraduate subjects except Medicine and the BA International Honours joint courses with William & Mary (a separate BA International Honours Scholarship covers those, closing 17 March 2027)
• Schools covered: Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Divinity, Earth and Environmental Sciences, English, Film Studies, Geography and Sustainable Development, History, International Relations, Mathematics and Statistics, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology and Neuroscience, Social Anthropology, and the Business School

What you need to submit

The scholarship is applied for through the University of St Andrews International Undergraduate Scholarships application form — one shared form that also considers you for the need-based International Undergraduate Scholarship, the Accommodation Award International and the Davis United World College Scholarship. For the International Excellence Scholarship specifically, you must provide:

• Statement of motivation (maximum 2,000 characters): Your reasons for applying, how you would benefit from the award, how you might contribute to the St Andrews community, and the academic achievements that make you a strong candidate
• One academic reference: Written by a teacher, Head of Year or principal (or an advisor of studies or academic tutor if you are already at university), on headed/letterheaded paper, signed and dated, and no more than one A4 page
• One personal reference: Written by someone who knows you well and can vouch for your non-academic qualities — for example, an employer or a senior staff member where you volunteered. References from family members or close friends are not acceptable, and the two references must not be written by the same person

If your school's policy means you cannot upload a reference, upload a document with your referee's name and email address and ask them to email the reference to [email protected] by the scholarship deadline. References that do not meet the guidance will not be accepted, so give your referees plenty of notice.

Key dates for 2027 entry

• Scholarship applications opened: Monday 17 August 2026
• UCAS equal-consideration deadline: 13 January 2027 — submit your course application by then so you can access the scholarship form in time
• Scholarship application deadline: Wednesday 27 January 2027
• Outcomes: Week commencing Wednesday 17 March 2027, available in the Scholarships and Funding section of My Application

How to apply

1. Apply for your undergraduate course at the University of St Andrews through UCAS, and allow at least two working days for processing and the issue of your My Application login details. You do not need to wait until you receive an offer of a place before applying for the scholarship.
2. Open the Scholarships and Funding section of My Application, find the University of St Andrews International Undergraduate Scholarships application in the scholarships and funding catalogue, and complete the form.
3. Answer "yes" to the International Excellence Scholarship question and provide your statement of motivation and your two references (one academic, one personal). If you only want to be considered for the Excellence award and not the needs-based scholarships, answer "no" to the financial-needs question and enter 0 for household income.
4. Submit by Wednesday 27 January 2027 and check the outcome in My Application in the week commencing 17 March 2027.

Why this one is worth noting

St Andrews is one of the UK's oldest and most selective universities, and this is its top merit award for international undergraduates — a single award covering full tuition for the whole degree, with no separate competition to enter beyond the shared international scholarships form. The trade-off is that it is fiercely competitive: just one Excellence scholar is chosen each year, so your statement of motivation and references need to show genuine academic distinction. Apply for your course early, line up strong referees now, and use the statement to show both your achievements and what you would give back to the St Andrews community as a Student Ambassador.

Official links

• University of St Andrews — International Excellence Scholarship
• University of St Andrews — International Undergraduate Scholarships (application form and guidance)
• University of St Andrews — BA International Honours Scholarship (William & Mary joint programme)

Details verified against the University of St Andrews' official scholarship pages on 5 November 2026. Award values, deadlines and requirements can change, so always confirm them on the official pages before you apply.